God’s Answer to Unbelief

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

The resurrection of Christ is God’s answer to unbelief. The changed attitudes of His followers who saw Him alive after His crucifixion and the revolution in the life of Paul, who saw Him “last of all,” rank high among the “many infallible proofs” of His resurrection. Cowards were made bold, doubters believed, the sorrowing were made glad, the pitiless persecutor became His devoted follower. The broken Roman seal, the empty tomb, the failure of the enemies of Christ to produce the dead body and a hundred other facts add their testimony in confirmation of the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ has been “declared to be the Son of God with power… by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4).

The resurrection of Christ assures us that His payment for sin is all-sufficient and complete, for “when He had by Himself purged our sins [He] sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3). “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

Next, the resurrection of Christ gives us a living Savior. Comparing the Old Testament priests with Christ, Hebrews 7:23-25 says:

“And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this Man, because He continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

The resurrection of Christ is also the pledge of the believer’s resurrection in glory. In I Peter 1:3 the Apostle Peter breaks out in a doxology:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

And our Lord Himself said what no other could possibly say:

“I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Finally, the resurrection of Christ is a warning to the world of judgment to come:

“Because [God] hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained: whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31).

“Now is the accepted time” (ll Corinthians 6:2).

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).